(Reuters) – Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said Ousmane Dembele could go on to achieve “great things” after he scored a goal and set up three others in their 4-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao.
The France international opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a towering header before providing assists for Sergi Roberto, Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.
Dembele has dealt with numerous injuries since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 for a transfer fee of 105 million euros ($103.41 million). He was out of contract at the end of the last season but signed a two-year deal in July to stay on.
“Football is about making decisions, and you’re either right or not, and Ousmane was right today. He knows how to play the game,” Xavi told reporters.
“He’s a great winger when he’s close to the (sideline). Sometimes he performs better and sometimes he doesn’t, and today was a great day for him.
“He needs to try to be more consistent in every game. That’s why I pushed the club to re-sign him, because he’s capable of great things.”
Barcelona host Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday before travelling to Valencia in LaLiga on Saturday.
($1 = 1.0153 euros)
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
